In my November message I reminded you all about the importance of volunteering to serve in the Guild. Several of you stepped forward and volunteered for a variety of Guild positions and activities. Thank you for responding so quickly and for sharing your time in volunteer activities that support the Guild!
This month I am pleased to announce the team of Guild volunteers who will serve on the Board of Directors for the 2018-2019 term:

We have a good mix of members new to serving on the Guild Board and seasoned members who have been serving for a few years. We are still in need of volunteers to serve on the Communications Committee. In particular, we would like a co-chair to serve with Russ Norfleet to oversee our many forms of communication. Shirley Timashev will continue to publish the CapitalGuide Online but would like an editorial assistant. We would like to have a quarterly newsletter, and Bette Runck has volunteered to serve as editor, but we need a person to be the production manager (someone who knows how to use desktop publishing software or is willing to learn). Please let me know if you would like to volunteer to serve in any capacity.

I hope you will join us at the Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on January 9 (see details below) as the 2016-2017 Board of Directors concludes their work and the 2018-2019 Board of Directors begins theirs.

The REI D.C. flagship store extends the co-op's schedule of classes, field programs and day outings. Examples of programs at popular local destinations are D.C. Monuments Sunset Kayak Tour, Overnight Backpacking in Shenandoah National Park and Introduction to Outdoor Rock Climbing at Carderock…REI is offering CMGs and Candidates 20% off a full-price REI brand item.

Steps away from Union StationREI’s flagship occupies the first floor of the Uline Arena, with more than 51,000 square feet of shops. Similar to their existing flagship in Denver and the SoHo area of New York City, Uline Arena has an interesting history. President Eisenhower hosted his first inaugural ball at the site in 1953. The building is perhaps most famous as the site of the Beatles’ first United States concert after their Ed Sullivan Show appearance in 1964. The Uline Arena joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

After a tour and visit to REI, members can have lunch at the Union Market, which is just several blocks away. Certified Master Guides and CMG candidates may register online for this event.

DC tour guide licenses expire on December 31. Renewals are only accepted by the DC Government online and require a picture of the license holder to be uploaded. If you have renewed your Guild membership and would like assistance in renewing your license online, you may attend this session and Guild board members will help you to renew. All you need to bring is your tour guide license number and a credit card. We will have computers available and will walk you through the renewal process. If you do not have your tour guide license number, we will assist you in looking it up. If you have any questions and cannot come to this session, you may email or call Tammy Belden, Guild Administrator, at tamarabelden@gmail.com or 240-994-2573. If you plan to attend this session, register on the Guild website.You can also contact Stephanie Johnston, Occupational and Professional Licensing Administration, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs 202-442-4340stephanie.johnston@dc.gov

Saint John Paul II National Shrine is pleased to host a fam tour for the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington, DC. The Shrine holds a church and an accompanying chapel with floor-to-ceiling mosaics designed by a world-renowned artist. Traditional images of Western Christianity are blended with the iconic style of Eastern Christianity. The tour will include displays about the life of Saint John Paul II, including his teachings, his survival of an assassination attempt, his ecumenical dialogue with all faiths, and his continued service amid a struggle with Parkinson’s. The tour will be led by Ken Balbuena, Director of Pilgrimage and Visitor Services and a Guild Guide since 2009.

Guild guides will be volunteering for the third year at the annual “Wreaths Across America” event at Arlington National Cemetery. Over 200,000 donated holiday wreaths will be placed at headstones, and as many as 75,000 relatives, families, local residents and visitors will be present for the privilege and honor of placing a wreath on a veteran’s gravesite.

The scale of this project is huge. Guild guides help out by answering questions and providing directions at the gates. The “Wreaths Across America” organization is extremely thankful for the assistance we provide. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Clara Sachs at clara.sachs32@gmail.com or 301-717-1168.

Enjoy after-hours access to the basement museum, historic theatre and the Aftermath Exhibits in the Center for Education and Leadership. Learn tips and tricks to navigate and interpret the historic site with your group, how to work within Ford’s daily schedule and about the upcoming closure of the Petersen House. National Park Rangers at Ford’s and staff from their education and visitor services teams will answer questions and share stories that are sure to engage your group on their next visit. Join us in the lobby after the event for light refreshments and mingling from 6:30 – 7:00 pm.

Please join us on January 9 for the Guild's Big Day!The activities include the annual business meeting, the annual awards presentation, and the half-day Education Seminar. The book sale will take place during registration/ networking and before the beginning of the education seminar. We are still working out details, but so far our plans include:Highlights of 2017 and Plans for 2018:The board officers and committees will present the Guild's accomplishments in 2017 and explain plans for 2018.Celebrate Your Colleagues' Achievements:The Awards Committee will make presentations for the Jill Blakeman Award, the Tourism Industry Contribution Award, the Motor Coach Operator Award, and the Ginny Moser Award.Please Note: You must register separately to attend the Education Seminar.

Event:Education Seminar
Date:Tuesday, January 9
Time:1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Place:Naval Heritage Center, U.S. Navy Memorial701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
The Education Seminar is an important annual event during the slow season of guiding, and it gives us a chance to look in depth at issues related to DC.Two speakers are confirmed to date.John Lawrence will discuss his book, "Class of '74:Congress after Watergate, and the Roots of Partisanship."Dan Arant, a Vietnam veteran and NPS volunteer, will enhance our storytelling of the bas reliefs at the World War II Memorial.

Tour highlights:
• The Presidential Suite – Where every president from Taft to Eisenhower greeted VIP's and dignitaries from around the world. It also served as a staging area for presidential departures. It now serves as private event space.
• Columbus Club – currently event space
• Legionnaire Statues – viewed from the statue level
• 1953 Federal Express Train Crash
• History of Early Renovations – and use as National Visitors Center
• Earthquake Renovations
Update on Planned Major Renovations

Guild member Andrea Urciolo is a board member at the Olney Theatre Centre and she has arranged for the theatre to host our monthly business meeting. There will be an opportunity for Guild members to attend the afternoon performance of Aubergine, an off-Broadway hit play. It has been described as a life-affirming and perceptive drama that distills the flavors of rich characters and intense relationships. A fuller description is on the website http://www.olneytheatre.org/

There are a number of lunch possibilities within a few minutes of the theatre. Directly across from the theatre is the Olney Ale House, and approximately one mile west is Olney Center with a number of restaurants — Green Turtle, Panera Bread, Grill Marx, and Riciuttis.

Please contact Andrea at azurciolo@gmail.com if you are interested in attending that matinee performance at the special price of $45. A block of seats will be held for the Guild until January 31.
If you are planning to attend the business meeting, please remember to register online at the Guild website so we know how many to expect.

As noted above, guide licenses issued by the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs expire on December 31 and must be renewed online by then.

Guild Guides: Be Listed for 2018

If you did not renew your Guild membership by December 1, the amount due is now $117. You can pay online by credit card or PayPal using the link “Renew Your Membership Now” on the Manage My Profile page. If you wish to send a check, mail it to Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington, DC, ATTN: Guild Administrator - Tammy Belden, 6902 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20012. If you mail in your check, don’t forget to send in a signed Guild Code of Ethics, available by download from the Guild website.

Affiliates:Time to Renew for 2018
The 2018 dues for annual membership is $190 and are due no later than December 31 to ensure no break in your benefits, which include your company listing in the 2018 Membership Directory and continued listing on the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington DC website.
Log into the Guild's website (https://washingtondctourguides.site-ym.com), click on "Invoices" (under Invoicing, Payment and History) and follow the instructions for paying online. Thank you for your continued support of the mission of the Guild!

National Cathedral Testing

Members who attended any one of the three training sessions this year and have paid their membership dues are reminded that if they haven’t been tested in three years they need to sign up for certification testing as soon as possible. A calendar sign up is available at the link below:http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4aabaa2fa0f94-guild
ALL testing must be completed by the end of January 2018 to be certified for the 2018 season. Questions? Contact Mary Beth Lane mb.lane@cox.net

(photo by Sonny Odom)

Guild Guide News

The Guild continues to expand learning opportunities for Guild Guides to broaden their area/site knowledge and guiding skills and earn CEUs.Guild Guides can now earn one CEU for volunteering and serving as a tour guide on Honor Flights. Contact Ruth Roberts at ruthieuk@yahoo.co.uk if you have an interest, and watch for periodic posts from her on GuildGuides. Serving as a tour guide on an Honor Flight is an enjoyable experience for you, the veterans, and their guardians. For most of us, it is the only guiding we do with a police escort!
Out-of-town Guild Guides will be soon offered an opportunity to increase their knowledge of Washington, DC motor coach rules and regulations and routes to major tourist attractions and earn one CEU.
Remember you can now earn CEUs for participation in non-Guild education events like Smithsonian Association programs, Mount Vernon Lecture series, and specialty tours at Washington National Cathedral. Request pre-approval from the co-chair of the Training Committee to receive CEUs for participating in non-Guild education events.Russ Norfleet,Guild Guide Representative

How Many CEU’s Do You Have?
This is just a reminder to our Guild Guides that you need to maintain a record of the education, training, and other events/activities that you participate in while earning CEU’s to advance to Guild Certified Guide. Our volunteers record your attendance at as many events as possible and others enter that information into the Guild database, but our volunteers cannot track your every move. You need to keep a running list of your activity also. When your records indicate that you have attained the CEU’s to advance to Guild Certified Guide, you should notify Tammy Belden, Guild Administrator.Tammy will request a copy of your list of events you attended and she will reconcile your list against the database. Sometimes we miss an event you attended and other times you missed recording an event. In the end, both the Guild Guide list and the Guild database match. Jackie Frend,President

Ground-breaking for WW I Memorial

An overcast sky threatened rain, but didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those attending the ceremonial ground-breaking for the National World War 1 Memorial on November 9 in Pershing Park. The celebration included the U.S. Army Band Brass Quintet (“Pershing’s Own” ) entertaining the crowd with military-themed tunes. There were dozens of grey-clad U.S. Military Academy cadets who stood at attention throughout the hour-long event, and many military re-enactors in WWI era dress. Guest speakers included members of Congress, National Park Service, and WWI Centennial Commission.Both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars contributed checks of $300,000 each to the on-going fundraising campaign.

Once completed, the memorial will honor the 4.7 million American men and women who served from 1917-1919 in the Great War. Of those who served, 204,000 were wounded and 116,516 died. As noted by speakers at the ceremony, the men and women serving in WWI fought with the same valor and courage as the veterans of later wars, and are deserving of national recognition.

Arkansas native Joseph Weishaar is the lead designer of the memorial that will redefine the 1.76 acre Pershing Park. Just 25-years old when his concept was selected, its centerpiece will feature a 65-foot-long, 11-foot-high bas-relief sculpture to sit near the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street, NW. Weisharr is working with DC groups to finalize a design that will incorporate historic elements of the park’s existing design created in 1981. Design negotiations and fundraising needs set a 5-year completion timeframe before a dedication ceremony is scheduled.Maribeth Oaks and Ellen Gold

NFTGA Conference February 21 - 23

Philadelphia will be hosting the NFTGA 2018 conference on February 21 - 23 at the Wyndham Historic District Philadelphia. The 2018 Milestones Conference celebrates the 20th anniversary of the National Federation of Tourist Guide Associations and the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides. The conference will explore many of the issues facing the tourism industry and guiding. Featured speakers will include representatives from the National Park Service, the Visit Philadelphia Tourism Information Center and local technology experts, as well as representatives from some of our Industry Tourism Partner organizations. A more complete conference agenda will be distributed in early December. To register online and for more information: http://www.nftga.com/conference-2018.html